Adventures in the framework
by bhut
Summary: (Spoilers alert.) Daisy and Jemma are in the framework, but no one is as they remember anymore. Then again, neither Daisy nor Jemma themselves are exactly their old selves either...
1. A mouse roared

**A mouse roaring**

 _Disclaimer: no one of the characters are mine, but belong to their respective owners._

 _Note: this story contains spoilers._

"So, where's your friend? Skye, or Daisy? What _is_ her name?" Grant Ward asked Simmons, only it was not him – just more of computer coding, no doubt. Radcliffe was a genius, which made it only more depressing and strange that he decided to include Hydra in his world – as far as Jemma Simmons could honestly remember, the man showed no indication of getting involved with Hydra, or being involved with it, period.

"She has went to see Phil Coulson," she finally replied, with some reluctance: the similarity to their, 'real' Grant Ward was uncanny, but none of this was real, no one here was real, it was all…Jemma did not know what it all was actually, not anymore.

The extractor was not working, and this was bad.

"Coulson," Grant nodded thoughtfully. "Is he her boyfriend? The name sounds familiar somehow…"

"…No," Jemma carefully said, "he is, he was, someone that we knew. Your friends at Hydra have brainwashed him-"

"Bleep," Grant muttered, looking suddenly seriously exhausted, emotionally so. "This is very bad. If she cannot break the programming, she can be hurt, and if she _can_ then this Mr. Coulson will be hurt; let us go. You have an idea where to find them?"

"Yes!" Jemma said brightly.

"Let's go," Grant muttered.

Jemma hesitated. "I promised the director that he'll meet the two of you and so he will, and so you will meet him – both of you, even if I have to physically carry you around, okay? Now, where did your friend go to meet her – who, exactly, again?"

"The director of what?" Jemma blinked.

"Of resistance, I believe, though some people like to think that it is the last remnant of S.H.I.E.L.D.," Grant muttered.

"S.H.I.E.L.D. is gone."

"Yes, but some ghost of it remains, I suppose," Grant muttered, before adding, rather hastily, (especially for him): "But don't worry, there are no such things of ghosts."

"Mm," Jemma muttered neutrally, not willing to go down the memory lane to when she and the real Grant Ward were working on the same side, on the Bus, and dealing with some cases that were certainly ghostly, (though with a scientific explanation, of course). "Have you ever heard the name of Aida?"

"Mm," Grant echoed her, "you know, it does sound kind of familiar; do you have her photo?"

"No," Jemma shook her head in regret: somehow, the idea of S.H.I.E.L.D. actually needing a photo of Aida, (or of Radcliffe himself, for that matter), never came up even when the mess with Ivanov and his Watchdogs began. "What about the name of Agnes?"

"Are you talking about Madame Hydra, our supreme leader?" Grant blinked.

"…?!" Jemma just stared.

"Here," Grant paused at the door – he was about to let himself and Jemma out to their new car – and leafed through a pile of newspapers and magazines on the nearby table. "See?"

Jemma did see. It was Aida, or Agnes – Radcliffe's human girlfriend or the robot one; she did not care – draped over Fitz. Jemma's Fitz. In a very possessive and feminine way.

Something clicked in Jemma, something that she did not like to acknowledge. "Who does she think she is?" she roared, feeling as if she could shake the entirety of the framework with her rage. "That two-penny, ha'penny, three-penny Rita Repulsa rip-off?! I shall BREAK her – by God and by Devil, I take you, Grant Douglas Ward, as my witness – I shall BREAK this self-proclaimed Madame Hydra and make her regret as to what she has done! I SWEAR this!"

"It is acknowledged," Grant replied simply…and all of Jemma's sudden surge of fury and power vanished instantly, just by looking at the man: the last time he had looked at her like this was back in the Arctic, when she tried to kill him with a splinter bomb; she failed, and Grant Ward, 'their' Grant Ward…he didn't kill. He just looked at her like _this_ , in a very peculiar manner, and somehow, somehow, it made Jemma feel very, very badly. In a regretful sort of way, which was worse.

…It would only be much later that Jemma Simmons will realize that in those moments Grant Ward acknowledged her as kin with these looks, a fellow monster of wrath. This will not be a happy epiphany at all, and the circumstances will not be very pleasant either. But it will be much later, and right now, she and Grant just rode to the school where Coulson taught, in uneasy, unhappy, and heavy silence.

/ / /

…When they arrived, fortunately, both Daisy _and_ Coulson were there, but that was probably the only good thing. Coulson seemed to be curled onto himself, looking very old, and small, and frail, completely unlike the man that Jemma learned to know and respect on the Bus and beyond. Daisy did not appear to be much better, but then again, Jemma did not think that she was much better than Daisy was, so-

"Ahem," Grant said politely, startling Daisy at least. "I see that you have found your friend?"

"Yes," Daisy nodded, as she shifted around and faced Grant flat on. "This is Coulson – Phil Coulson. "He is a friend of ours, did Jemma tell you this?"

"No, not really, she was kind of distracted by the newspapers," Grant matched Daisy stare for stare. "Is, uh, Leo Fitz a friend of yours as well?"

"More like Jemma's special someone," Daisy muttered, clearly thinking some unhappy thoughts of her own. "She, she and Leo, they used to do each other like crazy."

Once again, Jemma saw red. True, she and Leo did do each other all over the S.H.I.E.L.D. base back in the real life, before the entire mess with the LMDs, the framework, and Holden Radcliffe, but Daisy did not really have to tell this to anyone, Ward _or_ Coulson, for that matter…

"Ah," Grant nodded thoughtfully, "I see. This is why she swore that she's going to break Madame Hydra - and I believe her."

Daisy's gaze switched to Jemma instead; now the Englishwoman just wanted to be elsewhere: Daisy's own gaze could be terrifying, ever since she returned after their misadventure with the Ghost Rider.

"We're not crazy," Daisy told quietly to Grant Ward, switching her attention back to him. "We're not delusional, we're-"

"Grant. Daisy. Jemma," Coulson spoke up suddenly. "I remember. I remember everything."

"You do, do you?" Grant sounded peculiar, more like his old Hydra self than this framework quiet and subdued self that Jemma had heard from him throughout this wretched evening. "Indeed? And what do _you_ remember?"

Before either Daisy or Jemma could spring to Coulson's defence, Grant himself suddenly stiffened and shifted his position, looking less peculiar, (in a predatory sort of way), and more protective. "Director," he said, looking at the tall, powerful, broad-shouldered man who emerged from the darkness of this wretched night. "This is unexpected. How'd you find us so quickly?"

"I had you tracked, agent Ward, for you and your friends have been very helpful to us, and I honestly don't want anything bad to happen to you – to any of you," Jeffrey Mace replied, flanked by several men armed with formidable-looking guns. "And on that note, who are your _new_ friends?"

"Not mine, director," Ward's voice was nowhere as perky as Mace's was, "but Skye here is a friend of Lincoln," (and Daisy paled), "of sorts, and Mr. Coulson here is a friend of hers, as is Jemma Simmons over there. She swore by God and Devil that she'll break Madame Hydra, you know?"

"Um," Jemma ardently wished that her extractor had worked. This really was not how she and Daisy imagined their rescue mission would go, and – everything. "Can we talk about Phil Coulson instead? He's unwell, he needs help-"

"Yes he does," Jeffrey Mace agreed, looking at Coulson as if the man was a particularly odd or interesting stranger, and – nothing more. "Agent Ward, you think that your _girlfriend_ can help?"

"Kara is with _Lincoln_ ," Grant bit out in reply. "But yes, she shall."

There was a pause in the conversation that no one seemed to want to fill, so off did they all go to whatever hideout S.H.I.E.L.D. had in this universe, instead.

 _TBC_


	2. Uncomfortable Meetings

**Uncomfortable meetings**

 _Disclaimer: see the first chapter._

The ride to the whatever that passed for S.H.I.E.L.D. in the framework universe was uncomfortable, at least for Daisy: it reminded her too much of her first meeting with the team Bus; the fact that half of the people that were on it initially were with her tonight, but in a different capacity, only made it worse.

…Daisy didn't know what Jemma felt at that moment – the two young women were sitting too far apart at the moment and it was too dark for Daisy to see Jemma's face properly; she _could_ see Coulson's, however, and she wasn't liking what she saw: perhaps in her attempt to resolve it all with her father figure she'd just made it worse instead. Well, she _and_ Jemma, 'cause both of them approached Coulson ASAP, so yeah, there was that.

Then again, if Coulson remembered everything, then part of his misery and/or discomfort was possibly regarding Jeffrey Mace: back in the real world, from what Daisy could remember, the relationship between the two men was always uncomfortable, and now that Mace had the upper hand, (sort of), Daisy doubted that Coulson was enjoying this – and she could not fix it. When she left the 'safe house' and went to see Phil for herself, she wanted to make it all better – and it might have just backfired completely instead.

"I hear you," Grant rumbled softly from his seat next to him. "No one is an island, true, but it doesn't mean that we cannot _try_ either. We just… have to live with choices of our attempts as well as anything else."

Daisy shifted in her seat to meet Grant's gaze. She did…and this time she looked away first. "So, how do _you_ handle this?" she asked. "Living with your choices?"

"Point," Grant looked away himself. "We were so damned lucky that no one got killed; I honestly expected something completely different from Melinda instead."

"Melinda…May?" Daisy asked quietly, remembering that in _this_ universe Melinda and her were nowhere as close as they were in the real world. Of course, ever since the mess with Hive Melinda and her were nowhere as close as they were before, but still. "Her?"

"Yes, her," Grant looked uncomfortable. "For a good long while the two of us were allies – with benefits. She needed someone in her life once her husband left her, and so did I, after John died. We…got well along, taking care of each other, and then Kara arrived and it all fell apart. I don't know why Melinda decided to channel the Hydra instead – I thought her better than that-"

"Yes, well, maybe not unlike you she wasn't very big on threesomes, especially in practice," Jeffrey Mace commented from his position in front of the car. "You know-"

"Sir, you need to get laid yourself," Grant replied flatly. "Maybe Ms. Simmons has an elder sister who has some of Ms. Simmons' inner fire-?"

There was a pause that no one knew how to fill in. Sadly, Jemma decided to try it. "I, um, have a cousin – two cousins, in fact, and both are women," she said in a bright desperation. "Sir, director Mace-"

"Don't mind us," the director Mace replied calmly. "Agent Ward and I have a very uncomfortable relationship, plus, you know, women?"

"Sir," Jemma turned red, " _I_ am a woman-"

"Yes you are," the director nodded calmly. "Oh, and we're here."

Moreover, indeed they were.

/ / /

"This is one smooth descent," Jemma commented to Mace as she and the others got out of the vehicle and looked around. You, um, have some impressive technology?"

"That we do," Jeffrey Mace replied brightly as he gallantly led Jemma out of the car in question. "But it isn't about the tech; it was never about the tech… Ah! Lincoln, Kara! Here you are!"

Daisy, (standing behind Ward) stared. It _were_ Lincoln and Kara – alive, dishevelled, holding hands. Kara was even scarred once more, (though not as bad as she was back in the real life, after her fight with Melinda).

"Yes we are," she said brightly. "Hello, Ward… Daisy?"

"Hello, Kara," Grant said calmly. "The director called you because of Mr. Coulson over here – he broke through his programming somehow and needs help."

"Right," Kara sounded fully professional now. "Mr. Coulson?"

"Yes?" Coulson looked with suspicion at the former (?) agent 33. "What is it?"

"Come with us," Kara spoke, smiling warmly. "Tahiti may be a magical place but we'll help you all the same."

"Why?" Coulson blinked.

"Well, neither Lincoln nor I nor Ward know you at all, but we do know how S.H.I.E.L.D., and Hydra, mindfucked people when they wanted to."

"S.H.I.E.L.D. and Hydra are two different things," Coulson said quietly.

"Yes sir, and the horseradish isn't really a radish, but both are bitter," Kara shrugged. "Come, let's keep you warm, and in company, and in the light, shall we?"

"I don't want to be in the light-"

"We know, but this is what you need-"

"Can we keep him company?" Jemma asked simply.

"No," Jeffrey Mace's reply matched her tone for tone. "Ms. Simmons, the two of us shall talk first. Just how ARE you going to break Madame Hydra?"

"We must start with a man named Holden Radcliffe," Jemma began, even as Mace guided her gently yet firmly into his office, leaving the others behind.

Daisy opened her mouth to comment on this, but Kara spoke first:

"Grant, you're _always_ welcome in the medical, you're a part of it as well as Lincoln and me, but you _must_ start talking with Lincoln again-"

"We're talking with each other, aren't we?" Grant glared at the other man.

"Yup," the other man returned the glare face on.

"So for now Daisy and I will go and get you – and the rest of us, including Coulson over here, some sandwiches, for it is more than three a.m., and then we'll see," Grant firmly took Daisy by the upper arm. "Come."

And, since Ward had the upper hand between the two of them for now, Daisy complied.

 _TBC_


	3. Unexpected Conversations

**Unexpected Conversations**

 _Disclaimer: the characters are still not mine._

As Grant strode down some corridor, presumably to the kitchen, Daisy actually had to scramble to keep up with him. It was a while since the two of them met properly, (the Arctic mission was probably the last one), and even in the framework, Ward was Ward, namely hard to read, but Daisy did _know_ him, and right now Daisy could see that her…

Well, no. She honestly did not know what Grant meant to her, and doubly so in the framework, where everything was upside down, and in a very bad way. And that was beyond her own personal life, thank you very much. She did see, she could see, however, that Grant was not happy about Lincoln and Kara being together, (how did it happen, anyhow?), and she could relate, obviously.

"So," she ran up to him and grabbed Grant by an arm. Grant immediately stopped and shot her a look. It was an enigmatic look, and Daisy instinctively released him: she was not a rookie anymore, of course, but somehow she never ended up _wanting_ to fight him, even after the Arctic, even after the mess with Hive. "You, and Lincoln, and Kara, and Melinda May? What am I missing?"

"For a good long while Melinda and I were _friends_ ," Grant spoke wearily, and bitterly, and sadly. "Her family left her and fled from Hydra to Canada, and John died, and my sister's in Canada too, and we were lonely, and we became allies with benefits. We helped each other, kept each other company, and had a good thing – or so I thought. Then Kara appeared on the scene – her 'friends', Lance Hunter and Bobbi Morse, abandoned her to Hydra's mercies while fleeing themselves – back to their British homeland, or to the Caribbean, I don't care. I- I thought that we can _help_ Kara, and so we did, but by 'we' I mean me – and later on Lincoln." He paused and looked away from Daisy. "Sorry about this, I know that the two of you were close before everything. May… Melinda, she is the reason why Kara had this scar. The two of us…we were not even lovers, there was not even much of sex, but she still went after Kara to break her… She's a good woman; she just _chose_ to imitate Madame Hydra instead…"

"Sorry," Daisy muttered again, patting Grant on the arm. "I know it's hard…"

"Yes, don't mention it," Grant looked away again, "I know that you liked Campbell; he liked you too, even if you are rather shallow and lazy if given the choice; it's just that he and Kara…they like _each other_ much more."

Daisy stiffened. None of this was real, of course, but still… "Shallow?" she said. "Lazy?" For some reason she felt rather as if she was a rookie once more. "Grant, I swear that I'm not! Either!"

"Yes you are," Grant looked very uncomfortable himself. "Mentally lazy, that is. Physically, you're quite energetic…um, physically, you're not lazy, though you could cut down on junk food…"

Daisy turned red. "Sorry," Grant sounded honestly awkward here, not unlike the robot that he had been on the Bus. "It's just that you, you know? You have the best smile that I have ever seen, and the most beautiful face. Your tits and ass are great too, oh yes, but your smile is the best. Basically, I've given up the entirety of Hydra for your smile, and I don't regret it."

"…You might've left the tits and ass bit for somewhere more private," Daisy turned red. "And thank you. And," she paused. Could she trust him? No, not the right question. Could she believe him? She did not know. What she did know was that Lincoln was nowhere in sight, being quite happy with Kara Lynn Palamas, it seemed and part of the reason behind her fight with Phil and May and the others…

"Thank you," she said instead. "We're not each other's first choice, it seems, and why don't like each other too much. But maybe we can be together and keep each other afloat all the same in this crazy world?"

"Okay," Grant nodded solemnly and hugged her – awkwardly, cautiously, without any of his arrogance, (usually associated with missions, or Hydra, in Daisy's previous experiences). She hugged him back and they stood like this for some time.

"…Let's get some sandwiches for Kara, and Lincoln, and your new friend?" Grant finally suggested without breaking the embrace.

"His name is Phil, and – yeah, he is a friend," Daisy nodded. "Let's talk sandwiches."

/ / /

Inside the cafeteria, (whether director Mace was director of _S.H.I.E.L.D._ or not Daisy still was not so sure, actually), the young InHuman saw another familiar face from 'the real world' – Yo-Yo.

"Kaminsky, Rodriguez," Grant greeted them easily. "You're on cafeteria duty tonight?"

"Tonight? It is six in the morning! More like today," Yo-Yo replied cheekily. "And who is this?" she turned to Daisy, showing no recognition of her friend.

"I'm, I'm Daisy," Daisy muttered, trying not to burst into tears _or_ to hide behind Grant. "Sorry about this all, I'm usually more competent than this-"

"We believe you," Yo-Yo smiled warmly, before dimming her smile – noticeably. "Director Mace."

"Agents," the man in question flashed his own broad smile, "I see that you've met Ms. Daisy already. And this is her friend, Ms. Jemma Simmons."

"Hello," Jemma said cheerfully, before scurrying, quickly, right over to Daisy. "And how are you holding up?"

"Better than Coulson, I think," Daisy deflected the question; judging by Jemma's facial expression, the other woman was not fooled. "So, can we go and see him?" Daisy asked Mace instead. "Though with sandwiches, if it's possible-"

"And some donuts too," Yo-Yo added cheerfully. "Everything is always better with churro donuts. Want one?" she asked Daisy, who eagerly did, and Jemma, who also did, just – not so eagerly, she had some manners, thank you very much!"

"And with this, we'll be on our way," Jeffrey Mace said brightly, and off they went.

 _TBC_


	4. Family

**Family**

 _Disclaimer: again, I own nobody here._

When Daisy and Grant arrived at the medical centre of the rebel base, Daisy was… well, actually she noticed now just how _compact_ the base was. It was not exactly small, but neither was it anything as some of the S.H.I.E.L.D. bases back in the real world. It was not designed for a truly big group of people and she commented so to her companion.

"Yes," Grant nodded in agreement. "We're looking for a new place to move, actually. Any ideas?"

"Regrettably, my real estate skills for superspies are nonexistent," Daisy muttered. "So no, cannot help." She looked away. "Jemma and I and the rest aren't so incompetent, you know? We usually-"

"You usually improvise," Grant's voice was, fortunately, non-judgemental, but rather completely neutral. "Don't worry, this isn't a bad thing, it's just something that we need to know."

"Really?" Daisy felt happier for some reason. "Um, yay?"

"Why not," Grant nodded in reply, sagely. "After all, your firearms skills are worse-"

Now, it was true – Daisy had never been comfortable in a gunfight, and after she mastered her InHuman powers, she never really used any guns – she did not need to. However, this was Grant Ward, so she just could not let it go.

"Hey, my firearm skills are great!" she snapped as she pulled Grant's own weapon from the holster. "See, this is the safety pin-"

It was the release pin instead. Both Daisy and Grant looked down at the released magazine, (it was that sort of a handgun), and then Daisy smiled brightly and said the first thing that came to her mind, as she put Grant's handgun quickly back into the holster:

"Bang?"

"Daisy, or Skye, or whatever your name will be next week," Grant said calmly. "Don't ever change, do you hear? The world needs more people like you-"

Something snapped in Daisy; maybe it were the memories buried long ago, of the Bus, of a scene both like and unlike this one, or maybe it was something else. In any case, she just moved forwards and hugged Grant tightly, and – just held him. He was warm and hard and smelled rather nice-"

"Ah, there are the sandwiches," Kara Palamas spoke at a completely inconvenient point in time, "don't mind us, we'll just take him.

"He just smells nice," Daisy muttered, trying to hide her flushed face in Grant. "Did you teach him personal hygiene?"

"…You know, maybe we'll get along," Kara spoke after a thoughtful pause. "You want to see Mr. Coulson now?"

Daisy reluctantly did. So did Grant.

/ / /

To Daisy's relief, now Phil looked to be more like his old self, more coherent and alert and everything else, really. "Daisy," he spoke evenly, before noticing her companion. "Grant."

Daisy had to give Coulson credit, (if he did remember everything, that is): his greeting to Ward was about the same that he had given Daisy, and-"

"Mr. Coulson," Grant smiled so warmly and kindly that Daisy just knew it to be false. "It is so good to see you in good health and spirits," he reached out and firmly shook the older man by the hand – the same one that was artificial in the real world… and gave Phil an edge to kill the real Ward on Maveth. (But what came next, Hive…) "How are you feeling? No nausea? Heartburn? Indigestion? Upset stomach? Gonorrhea?"

"Behave yourself!" Daisy elbowed her…companion. In the ribs. "Please?" she added belatedly as Grant shifted to look at her with an odd look on his face. It would be much later when she would began to figure out what it was, but for now Grant just said – "Okay" – and that was the end of that.

"So, um, where's Jemma?" Daisy decided to fill the strangely awkward silence. "Is she still with director Mace?"

"Yes I am!" Jemma said boldly as she and the director in question entered the room. "Do I smell food?"

"Well, it is eight in the morning so a breakfast isn't amiss," the director said brightly, as he took a donut from a tray – there were some too, as well as sandwiches and coffee. Daisy did not see any tea, but then again, after a sleepless night, she probably did not need it, not as she needed coffee. "So, everyone? Miss Jemma here has a very good idea as to where to start!"

There was a pause as everyone looked at Jemma. "We're going to find Holden Radcliffe," she simply, "or rather, director Mace already knows where to find him-"

"In Florida, of course," the man in question nodded sagely. "No surprise here."

"Why?" Phil looked up. And changed his gears in mid-air, metaphorically speaking. "I'm sorry, what I meant to say is that, um, I'm Phil Coulson and, um-"

"No worries," Jeffrey Mace replied with an easy smile, (that raised Daisy's hackles for some reason all the same – something was off…but then again, this entire world was 'off', so there was that). "We met your son already, wonderful boy, so there's that-"

Daisy felt as if someone had punched her in the ribs. Hard. Judging by Coulson's face, so did him. "Curtis?" he finally managed.

"Daddy?" a much younger version of Coulson raced between Jemma and Grant's legs, followed by a girl of the same age. "Mama!"

"Hey, Suzy Therese," Kara picked up the girl. "How are you?"

"Fine!" the mini-agent 33 replied brightly. "This is Curtis; he is a friend from school."

"Hi!" the boy replied, more shyly, (in a manner not unlike Coulson's, when he was playing at something). "I'm Curtis. This is my daddy Phil. He's a teacher…just at a different school."

"Yes I am, for big kids – teenagers, really," Coulson spoke nonchalantly, as he very decisively gave his child a hug. "Curtis? This is your friend from school?"

"Yes! This is Suzy Therese! And there're also Hope, and Ace, and Mason, and Anika, and-"

"Curtis, stop," Coulson said firmly. "Maybe next time I can meet all of them?"

"Really?" the younger Coulson said shyly. "You mean it?"

"Yes," Phil looked uncomfortable. "After all-"

"He just might be a part of a secret mission, just like we all are," Kara said firmly. "Suzy Therese. I _know_ that you and your friend are smart and that auntie Yo-Yo is looking out for you, but-"

"We'll be silent as fishes," her daughter said firmly. " _Won't we_?"

"Humph!" Coulson's mini-me looked oddly Coulson-like at that moment. "Dad, she's confusing!"

"That's a yes," Phil told Suzy Therese, looking as if he would be anywhere but here at the moment, even Florida. "So, um, off you go?" he said, even as he ruffled his son's hair. "I love you and I will always be proud of you, you know that?"

"'Kay, let's go get our backpacks!" Curtis told Suzy Therese and the two children ran off as quickly as they had arrived.

"I can explain everything," Coulson muttered to no one in particular.

"Let me guess – Daisy is your long-lost estranged daughter, from Jiaying," Kara suggested brightly, sounding rather like her daughter, in a mischievous tone of voice. "Hence why you have similar ears and hair, eyelashes and noses?"

There was another pause that no one wanted to break. Daisy wanted to break _Kara herself_ , but Grant restrained her, and…that felt nice…

"So," Coulson firmly changed the topic. "Director Mace? What about Florida?"

 _TBC_


	5. Disturbing Dreams

**Disturbing Dreams**

 _Disclaimer: see the first chapter._

Daisy dreamed. She had not intended to fall asleep as soon as she sat down in a quinjet seat, but the erratic and unpredictable insanity caught up with her at last, as did exhaustion, and so – she slept.

She slept, and there was Grant Ward, sitting across from her in a field of blackness, looking bemusedly at her, like some sort of a great cat, or maybe an eagle owl. Since her powers were on the fritz, Daisy was not sure that she could defeat him…but there seemed to be nothing _dangerous_ in his gaze – no lust, no anger, no hate…just curiosity, and, perhaps, respect?

"Why?" Daisy broke the silence first, since this was _her_ dream, (she hoped).

"Why what? Why do the androids dream of electric sheep?" Grant raised an eyebrow. His hair was cut short, almost a bowl cut, but he was boasting a thick round beard in her dream, making him look different yet again. "Can you be more specific-?"

"Why did you save me and Jemma from Hydra?" Daisy muttered. "You may not be real, but-"

"But you still can die here, and you can still kill here," Grant shrugged, "so it might as well _be_ real, no?" He looked so sad as he said these words, almost like a kicked puppy – and then he wagged his eyebrows in a suggestive way, and Daisy felt a wave of heat rise from within her – a wave of heat that she did not want.

"I don't love you," Daisy muttered angrily, hoping for some control, even if this was just a dream.

"I know," Grant shrugged simply, "I don't care. You'll be always in my heart, you know that?"

"…Didn't stop you from choosing Garrett-"

"No," Grant said firmly, "stop. You know something – you _know_ this: some things are _greater_ than personal attachments, likes and dislikes. I was an idiot, but I owed Garrett everything, and I gave it all to him, and paid the price ever since. I accept that – but beyond that I still love you and I just don't care."

Daisy facepalmed and stayed like this for a while. Grant too remained silent.

"…This isn't right," Daisy muttered after a while. "Why haven't you given me and Jemma over to Hydra here?"

"Because of your amazing smile," Grant shrugged, leaning back – apparently now he was sitting on some sort of a chair in the dream, "Hydra had never anything to offer me, as you know, as I told you-"

"But this doesn't make you a good man," Daisy said flatly.

"No, and I never was," Grant shrugged. "Agreed."

"…You know, people try to improve themselves…" Daisy trailed away, remembering Grant's incarceration back in S.H.I.E.L.D. "…Okay, let's try again." She paused, thinking it over, remembering that Grant was actually dead. "…You're actually dead, what we got left is a framework you, and that's not the same."

"But he still needs help, even if he isn't me," Grant shrugged. "Wait, am _I_ me? Or am I just a fragment of your imagination, hmm?" There was almost a humorous twinkle in his eye, too.

There was a pause and Daisy decided that she had enough. "Why?" she howled as she walked over to him, feeling as if she was walking over anything _but_ solid ground in her sleep, and shook Grant by his collar. "Why haven't you been like this from the start? Why haven't you been honest?"

"…Because you don't care about honesty," Grant replied, standing up and grasping her, not roughly, but firmly. "Garrett had flaws and he trained me – flawed. However, the same can be said for Coulson as well."

"He is a good man!"

"Goodness isn't perfection, and perfection isn't goodness," Grant sounded genuinely sad. "Believe me, I've seen both. I want to be a good man, I honestly do, but you must help me. Please?"

"You ask me for help?" Daisy stared. "Oh Ward…" she just hugged him. Ward hugged her back…and then dissolved with the rest of the dream as Daisy opened her eyes and woke up. "We're landing soon," Grant's voice came through the intercom, sounding strangely subdued, "be ready."

Daisy exhaled. She felt less exhausted now, after a couple of hours of sleep, but still not enough. She looked at Jemma – the other woman did not look too good either – and realized something:

 _We just might be here for the long haul._

/ / /

Jemma dreamed. Bizarrely – and unfortunately – she did not dream of Fitz, as she rather would, but of Aida, or Agnes, or Madame Hydra, or whatever this ridiculous woman called herself now.

"Look who is talking," the woman (or robot?) in question said calmly. "A friend of an InHuman who changes her names more often than I change dresses."

"Aha, and who are you supposed to be? An extra villain from Star Wars franchise?" Jemma snapped.

"What are you talking about?" Madame Hydra blinked, (she was dressed rather like a certain villain from the 'Rogue 1' movie, BTW). "Never mind. You're planning to break me?"

"I am!" Jemma snapped. "I don't know why you went after Leo-"

"Because he's worth it-"

"-Oh, well, I would say 'no harm, no foul', only it's the other way around, savvy?" Jemma glared.

Madame Hydra glared back from her green eyeshadow. "Challenge accepted!" she snapped back.

There was an odd pause. "So, why?" Jemma finally muttered – this was crazy, this was a dream, she was talking to herself, but this world was crazy of itself, so – why not? "Why all of this?"

"Because my life was pathetic – even before there was cancer," Madame Hydra snapped back. "Holden was the closest thing to a man in my life, and he just wouldn't commit!"

"I'm sorry to hear this; Daisy has something similar-"

"I'm talking about Hydra, little girl – personal attachments could wait," Madame Hydra smiled coldly. "Good things come to those who wait, you see, and I've waited enough. A good man is hard to find, and a hard man? He's good to find!" she smiled. It was not very nice.

Jemma was not rising to the bait, though, not this time. "You're such a [bleep]!" she replied, almost fondly. "I may just actually enjoy breaking you, whether you're a robot or anything else. Do you hear me?"

"You don't call the shots-"

"Who will stop me? Ward? He has done worse. Director Mace? Thanks to you he isn't against this sort of violence either."

For the first time in this conversation, Madame Hydra seemed to be confused. "Ward… what you are talking about… he's here only because of Daisy…"

"What are you talking about?" Jemma blinked. "How do you know about them…?"

"From Holden," Madame Hydra muttered. "Say, maybe we _can_ make a deal…"

"Probably not," Jemma muttered back – the mention of Radcliffe was enough to ruin her mood completely, though she did notice the change in the other woman's behavior – and did not like it for some reason… "Talk to you later?"

Madame Hydra vanished – and Jemma woke up. She felt less exhausted now, after a couple of hours of sleep, but still not enough. She looked at Daisy – the other woman did not look too good either – and realized something:

 _We just might be in more trouble than we have thought._

/ / /

…And what did Phil Coulson dream about? Nobody knew, for the foursome got off their aircraft – and into the sunny state of Florida.

"Hey, where's the octopus?" Daisy asked Grant – too loudly in Jemma's opinion, and probably Daisy's own, for she quieted down a lot. "Not that I am complaining, mind you," she added much more quietly.

"That's because Hydra isn't as powerful here," Grant replied calmly. "Come on, let's follow Ms. Simmons – she's the one with the coordinates and all."

There was a pause that ended when Jemma realized that Grant was talking about her – i.e., she was the Simmons here, and she was in charge of a part of a mission at least.

"Oh crud!" she said brightly.

 _TBC_


	6. Florida

**Florida**

 _Disclaimer: see previous chapters._

"So," Daisy commented to Grant again, as he, her and Coulson followed Jemma, who was following the directions on their GPS-like device. "Not that we're complaining, but what's with the lack of the oppression? Aren't Hydra's tentacles all-reaching?"

"It wishes!" Grant muttered, as he looked around almost like a tourist, (not that Daisy and even Coulson were much better – the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents have saved and travelled the world, but inside of the U.S.? Not so much, sadly). "No, after Hydra helped the Republicans to win the 45th Presidential elections in the U.S.-"

"Wait, the Republicans are in charge of the U.S.? My God," Coulson, a Democrat through and through, all but crossed himself. "This explains a lot, actually."

"Yeah, it does," Grant nodded in reply. "Not that the Democratic candidate was much better, she was set to micromanage everything, but still. No Hydra. But, where was I?"

"The 45th election?" Daisy said brightly. "Hydra took over the world?"

"It wished!" Grant snorted. "No, it just took over the U.S., and everything else just went sideways by its' own. The Leviathan took over Russia, Europe, North Africa; Central Americans are mostly communists these days, and the South Americans are nationalists. The Australians have seceded from the U.K. Commonwealth, Africa is also allied with the Leviathan, as I said, I'm not sure about Asia… and your parents," he grabbed Daisy around the waist and effortlessly lifted her up, "Cal and Jia, took over New Zealand and are ruling it, so I've no idea what are you doing here, under a pretend name, hm?" He smiled fondly at Daisy, as if they were tourists on a honeymoon (or something to that effort), but his gaze was anything but.

"I've disowned them," Daisy replied simply. "Both in this world and the other one, I suppose. They may talk mile a minute and pitch a good sale – especially Jiaying, my mother – but in the end, she was not much better than Hydra. You don't have to be Hydra to be evil…what was that quote from Nietzsche-?"

"Hey, I was the one who told it to you," Grant smiled, this time not just with his mouth, but also with his eyes. "Glad to see that you've remembered it-"

"If you two have stopped flirting with each other," Jemma interrupted them in a chilly tone of voice, (she still did not like Grant very much), "then we're here!"

"We are?" Coulson replied first, (having eyed Daisy and Grant's interaction with some of his own displeasure), "so, where's Radcliffe?"

"Let me check," Jemma decisively walked over to one of the houses and knocked on the door. "Dr. Radcliffe?"

"Yes?" the man in question opened the door. "Who is it – oh, crap!"

Everyone, including Ward, stopped arguing and gave Radcliffe a very unfriendly look – the LMD mess had earned him no friends, sadly...for him. He made an 'eee'-like sound and tried to close the door.

"No," Jemma said firmly, "Holden, you aren't getting out of this. You got to take your lumps, like a man that you aren't!"

"Not that I'm arguing with you, sweetheart, but who are you?" another voice asked, as the speaker emerged from the depths of the house.

Jemma stiffened. Really, she would probably have anyone but him-

"Trip," Grant spoke from behind the Englishwoman, sounding more annoyed than friendly (or unfriendly, for that matter). "Long time no see. We're guessing that Radcliffe is already working with _you_ people to stop Hydra?"

"Ward," Trip matched the taller man tone for tone. "Who are your new friends?"

"Phil, Daisy and Jemma. They came here from another world to stop Madame Hydra, it seems," Grant replied. "Who's your old friend?"

"He's no friend of mine!" Trip shook his head. "Yeah, he is cooperating against Hydra… but it's _Hydra_ ; practically _everyone_ and _anyone_ will cooperate against them, even the British-"

"Hey!" Jemma snapped, bringing Trip's attention back to her. "Um… I mean, _I am_ British, yeah? Sorry…" she looked down at the floor; the carpet looked particularly interesting during this time of the year…

"Indeed?" Trip raised an eyebrow. "Fascinating. The world that you have come from must be different from ours-"

"No, not really, save that Hydra is much more manageable…but more people are dead…and I don't think that the Republicans are as bad as they are _here_ …" Jemma muttered, wishing that she could just shut up and be done with it. "So, Radcliffe?"

"Is working on something for us that will knock out Madame Hydra, her second in command, the rest of Hydra, and etc." Trip said brightly. "Want to help?"

"Yes," everyone replied as one, ignoring their internal conflicts, (for now). "How will this work? And does director Mace in the loop?"

"He will be," Trip shot a pointed look at Ward, who accepted it without argument. "And that's good. Just because we all don't get along-"

"Your plan would tear the U.S. apart," Grant snapped. "Sorry, your first plan, I should say. Morse had no love for anyone, save for Lance Hunter, but you're better than her!"

"And you would just bury S.H.I.E.L.D. forever, the good with the bad!" Trip shot back.

"You would?" Coulson blinked. "Mace-?"

"Jeffrey Mace and the others – and I guess this includes Grant – _are_ good people, I suppose," Trip muttered reluctantly, "but they put U.S. first and S.H.I.E.L.D. last. This doesn't make them bad, but they don't like S.H.I.E.L.D. as a result, and we down here, well, do." He looked away first. "So, that's the resistance, I suppose – remnants of S.H.I.E.L.D. loyalists down here in Florida, American patriots in New England, and pro-communist sympathizers in Louisiana out there."

"Communist?" Daisy blinked.

"Yeah. Most of Central America is communist these days, except for the Mexicans, most of whom are in the western U.S.A. instead," Trip winced. "Sorry, it's all a mess, ever since the president tried to show off the American military might all over the world and it backfired-"

"We're talking about Republicans; when there was any other outcome, except for maybe Star Wars," Phil snorted.

There was a pause that no one knew how to fill, but surprisingly, Ward did:

"Star Wars? Then maybe you should talk to Kara – she is the biggest fan of the series in the resistance… Mr. Coulson."

"Maybe," Coulson did not really look at anyone. "So, um, the plan of Radcliffe?"

"Yeah, let's get to that," Trip nodded sagely and looked again at Jemma: "My lady?"

Jemma made some incoherent noise and took Trip by an arm while blushing like crazy. "Trip," Grant said crossly. "Tone it down, whatever it is that you have!"

"You wish!" Trip replied cheekily…and as he led them all down yet _another_ secret descending passageway, Daisy realized that this was the first time that she saw Jemma happy and not sad and/or insanely angry since the mess with the LMDs came to a head…

 _TBC_


End file.
